Sporting Club de Portugal delaying Amorim arrival at Manchester United – Timing now the biggest obstacle

Ruben Amorim is set to remain at Sporting Club de Portugal until the next international break, then join Manchester United.

That’s according to Record, who report that Sporting president Frederico Varandas has blocked Manchester United’s efforts to hire the Portuguese coach immediately.

The newspaper reports that Amorim will continue to coach Sporting until the next international break, despite Manchester United’s intention to have him in charge for Sunday’s clash with Chelsea.

Varandas was not keen on such a quick exit, though, and has ‘imposed conditions’ on the negotiations between the two clubs.

One of those was the activation of the 30-day notice period in Amorim’s contract, regardless of whether Amorim’s release clause was paid.

An agreement between Sporting and Manchester United is still being worked on but would see Amorim remain in charge of the Portuguese club for the near the future. He would take charge for Friday’s clash with Estrela da Amadora and then against Manchester City on 5 October and Braga on 10 October.

He would then depart after those games and Sporting would hire João Pereira, coach of the B Team, as his replacement.

Whether Manchester United accept this or look to move Amorim’s appointment up remains to be seen but the timing of his arrival is now seen as the biggest obstacle to him taking charge at Old Trafford. In other words, it will happen, it is now just a case of when.